Fabrics for Merchandisers

An apparel merchandiser should know about fabric as it plays a significant role in apparel manufacturing.  Fabric cost constitutes 60 to 70% cost of the product. So, the selection of fabrics should be accurate to quote competitive prices as well as quality concerns. Effective skill in the selection of fabric and its utilization optimizes garment quality and profits. 

Other than merchandisers the following post may be helpful for those who deal with fabrics in inspection, cutting, production, finishing, quality control, and apparel engineering. 

Photo courtesy : "Designecologist"

Basically, it is a checklist with a brief definition. Each of the topics listed therein should be discussed elaborately which is not possible in a single post. Please follow us we will develop all the below topics gradually. 

1. Textiles

A term originally applied only to woven fabrics, now generally applied to any flexible material that is composed of thin films of polymers or of fibers, yarns, or fabrics or products made of films, fibers, yarns, or fabrics.

• History and development
• Necessity of fabric
• Importance of fabric in the apparel industry

2. Textile Fibers

Textile fibers are hair-like structures that can be spun into yarn. Any substance, natural or manufactured, with a high length-to-width ratio possessing suitable characteristics for being processed into the fabric; the smallest component, hair-like in nature can be separated from a fabric.

• Types  of textile fibers
• Fiber properties
• Key fiber Characteristics
• Fiber blending and mixture
• Quick selection of textile fiber

3. Textile Yarns

An assemblage of fibers that are twisted or laid together so as to form a continuous strand that can be made into a textile fabric. 

• Yarn classification
• Yarn manufacturing system
• Novelty yarn
• Yarn counting system
• Yarn count conversion
• Thread ticket number
• Yarn imperfection

4. Woven Fabric

Woven fabrics are made by interlacing two sets of yarn at the right angle to each other.

• Basics of weaving
• The loom
• Woven Fabric Structure
• Commercial Fabric study
• Fabric weight calculation
• Weaving imperfection

5. Knit Fabric 

Knitted fabric may be described as structures produced by the interloping of yarn. In the actual construction of the fabric, loops are formed; then new loops drown through previously formed. The continuing addition of new loops creates the knitted fabric.

• Basics of knitting
• Woven Vs. Knit
• Knit Fabric Structure
• Commercial fabric study
• Fabric weight calculation
• Knitting imperfection

6. Other Types of Fabric

• Lace fabric
• Composite fabric
• Specialty fabric

7. Textile Dyeing

Aqueous dyeing is simply called dyeing. Coloration by dyeing involves the use of chemical dyestuffs called dyes, which are capable of combining with the textile fiber molecule, usually when in a water solution.

• Textile coloration terms
• Colorants and their properties
• Textile Dyeing
• Dyeing imperfection

8. Textile Printing

Textile printing is a process that applies a single or multi-colored pattern also known as a design on a white or dyed background fabric, using textile dyes or pigment in thickened form.

• Textile printing terms
• Approaches of print
• Methods of printing
• Printing imperfection

9. Fabric Finishes

Any process that modifies the appearance or enhances the performance of gray goods (unfinished fabric). The consumer will not be able to see the finish and will only know of its presence if such information is included on labels or tags.

• Types of finishes
• Durability of finishes

10. Fabric Analysis

• Range of fabric weight
• Factors affecting fabric cost
• Fabric salvage
• Warp yarn or wales identification
• Technical face and back
• Directionality and symmetry
• Fabric grain
• Dimensional change identification
• Conversion of fabric weight
• Fabric inspection
• Fabric performance test
• Skill to order fabrics

Ref.
1. Textiles, 
2. Fabric Science,